Extraordinary Elevator Pitches - Part 2

Last time, we looked at how to begin a pitch with a hook and why. You need to capture interest and curiosity quickly. What do you do next?

Here are the basic elements of a great pitch – each should appear in a pitch of any length:

• Hook (an attention-getter, appeal, surprise, hint of your story or what you do)
  
  
• Benefits (what value your clients receive)
  
  
• Features (the products and services you provide)
  
  
• Contact information (who you are and the name of your business)
  
  
• Clear beginning, middle, and end

Here is a 10-second pitch – let’s find the 5 basic elements:

I train businesspeople to think and speak confidently and effectively under pressure. I am Sandy Bjorgen, founder of IMPROV-able Results.

• Hook: I train businesspeople to think and speak confidently and effectively under pressure.
  
  
• Benefits: help in thinking and speaking more effectively in public - especially under pressure
  
  
• Features: training
  
  
• Contact information: personal and business name
  
  
• Clear beginning, middle, and end: hook, personal name, business name

Note: Even in this 2-sentence pitch, all of the elements are present – here they overlap. This is a very short pitch for times when I’m expected to introduce myself quickly and succinctly and turn the floor over to the next person. Although I have little time, I need to stand out as different and be memorable – to hook the part of the listening audience that is my marketing target.

In other situations, I will have more time and can say more about the kind of the kind of training I provide, the clients I help, and other services I offer.

Start working on your 10-second pitch. Try it out on others. Get feedback. Think about what else you’d like to say if you had more time - next time you’ll learn how to creatively roll that into a longer, catchier pitch!

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